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What Causes Raised ALT Levels In A 17 Month Old Kids?
Question: What are some of the causes of raised ALT results in a 17 month old? He was born full term but was small weighing only 2.5kg and has remained in the 3rd percentile for weight and height. His weight started to plateau around the 13month mark and we are seeing a paediatrician. Blood results were done and first test result was around 600, a month later was 160 and 3 weeks later back up to 280. Today we had an ultrasound and no abnormalities were found in liver, gall bladder, kidneys etc...
Brief Answer:
No significance in other wise healthy child.
Detailed Answer:
HI , Thanks for writing to us.
ALT, is alanine amino transferase, a marker in the blood which may be elevated in many liver pathologies.
Sine you have mentioned only about raised levels of ALT, I assume that all other liver enzymes are within normal limits. So an isolated elevated levels of ALT in an other wise normal healthy infant (I am not aware of his current weight) is normal, the causes are less known, studies show that the levels will resolve within a year.
What you have to look for in your child is, jaundice/yellow discoloration of the eyes, , orange urine, creamy stools , or enlarging abdomen.
If the results are raising steadly, a liver biopsy may be required.
Other blood tests to rule out hepatitis, cytomegalo viruses, epstein barr viruses may be required if the child's condition is deteriorating .
If you are regularly using any herbs as a natural medication/home based medication to the child , kindly stop it.
Kindly follow up with other blood tests for the liver function, it ll be easy for us to interpret .
Hope I have cleared most of your concerns, kindly follow up.
No significance in other wise healthy child.
Detailed Answer:
HI , Thanks for writing to us.
ALT, is alanine amino transferase, a marker in the blood which may be elevated in many liver pathologies.
Sine you have mentioned only about raised levels of ALT, I assume that all other liver enzymes are within normal limits. So an isolated elevated levels of ALT in an other wise normal healthy infant (I am not aware of his current weight) is normal, the causes are less known, studies show that the levels will resolve within a year.
What you have to look for in your child is, jaundice/yellow discoloration of the eyes, , orange urine, creamy stools , or enlarging abdomen.
If the results are raising steadly, a liver biopsy may be required.
Other blood tests to rule out hepatitis, cytomegalo viruses, epstein barr viruses may be required if the child's condition is deteriorating .
If you are regularly using any herbs as a natural medication/home based medication to the child , kindly stop it.
Kindly follow up with other blood tests for the liver function, it ll be easy for us to interpret .
Hope I have cleared most of your concerns, kindly follow up.
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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